Television channel display device and method thereof

Abstract

An Internet Protocol television system includes a set-top box that receives requests to display video streams being transmitted to a household. In response to the request, the set-top box provides a list of the video streams to a display device. The list includes options to terminate transmission of one or more of the streams. This allows a user to determine which video streams should be transmitted when bandwidth limitations are reached.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving, by a processing system including a processor, a plurality of video streams; 
 providing, by the processing system, a plurality of devices access to the plurality of video streams; 
 responsive to determining that fulfilling a content request would result in exceeding a predetermined bandwidth limitation, providing, by the processing system, a listing of the plurality of video streams for display at a device of the plurality of devices, wherein a user interface associated with the display at the device enables termination of a selected one of the plurality of video streams; 
 receiving, by the processing system via the device, input indicating a first request to terminate a selected video stream of the plurality of video streams; and 
 transmitting, by the processing system, a message to the device indicating that the selected video stream is to be terminated. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of video streams are received from a media distribution system, and wherein the predetermined bandwidth limitation corresponds to a limitation of the processing system, thereby limiting a number of video streams that can be received by the processing system from the media distribution system. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising transmitting, by the processing system, a second request to the media distribution system to terminate the selected video stream according to the first request. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content request requires an additional video stream. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the termination of the selected video stream is conditioned upon authenticating security information associated with the device. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the processing system, an alternate video stream to at least one of the plurality of devices in response to the termination of the selected video stream. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of devices comprise a media processor, and wherein the content request comprises a channel request from the media processor. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the channel request is to change a format of a video stream. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the listing comprises an identifier for each of the plurality of video streams. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the identifier comprises, for each of the plurality of video streams, a title and a thumbnail of the respective video stream. 
     
     
       11. A device comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and 
 a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations comprising: 
 receiving a plurality of video streams from a media distribution system; 
 providing a plurality of devices access to the plurality of video streams; 
 receiving a content request; 
 responsive to determining that fulfilling the content request would result in exceeding a predetermined bandwidth limitation, providing a listing of the plurality of video streams for display at a device of the plurality of devices, wherein a user interface associated with the display at the device enables termination of a selected one of the plurality of video streams; 
 receiving, via the device, input indicating a request to terminate a selected video stream of the plurality of video streams; and 
 transmitting a message to the device indicating that the selected video stream is to be terminated. 
 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined bandwidth limitation corresponds to a limitation of the processing system, thereby limiting a number of video streams that can be received by the processing system from the media distribution system. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the content request requires an additional video stream. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the termination of the selected video stream is conditioned upon authenticating security information associated with the device. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting an alternate video stream to at least one of the plurality of devices in response to the termination of the selected video stream. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the listing comprises, for each of the plurality of video streams, a title and a thumbnail of the respective video stream. 
     
     
       17. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:
 receiving a plurality of video streams; 
 providing a plurality of devices access to the plurality of video streams; 
 receiving a content request requiring an additional video stream; 
 responsive to determining that fulfilling the content request would result in exceeding a predetermined bandwidth limitation, providing a listing of the plurality of video streams for display at a device of the plurality of devices, wherein a user interface associated with the display at the device enables termination of a selected one of the plurality of video streams; 
 receiving, via the device, input indicating a request to terminate a selected video stream of the plurality of video streams; and 
 transmitting a message to the device indicating that the selected video stream is to be terminated. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of video streams are received from a media distribution system, and wherein the predetermined bandwidth limitation corresponds to a limitation of the processing system, thereby limiting a number of video streams that can be received by the processing system from the media distribution system. 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the termination of the selected video stream is conditioned upon authenticating security information associated with the device. 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the listing comprises, for each of the plurality of video streams, a title and a thumbnail of the respective video stream.